Walking Together
by petal77
Summary: Life is back to normal for yoshimori and tokine. small ayakashis appear on the school grounds every night like before...and no more kokuboro, kaguro or anything...but tokine feels a change. whether in her feelings towards yoshimori or his feelings towards her, she doesn't know...
1. Chapter 1

**Please read and review…**

**1 **

**FEELING LONELY**

Tokine walked to school. She looked behind. There was a difference. A part of the puzzle was missing. The boy who followed her, was nowhere to be seen. Tokine looked behind. Still there was no trace of Yoshimori. It made her uneasy.

Though she always told him not to follow her, a part of her always wanted him to. She loved to tease him and scold him for his laziness. But it was really saddening for Yoshimori not appearing beside her, right at this moment.

"Yoshimori…" she said.

"Tokine?" she heard a voice. Tokine turned around. "Yoshimori?"

"Who?" asked a boy. It was her classmate. Tokine bowed and walked forward.

The class was as usual. The teachers appreciated her for her attentiveness.

The students talked, laughed and walked home. Yoshimori was nowhere to be seen.

Tokine wished to go earlier to Karasumori that evening. If she could just ask him, why he took leave that day. She did her homework and hurried to call hakubi.

"hakubi…hakubi, come on…let's go!" she rushed.

"Why so hurry, honey?" hakubi asked.

She did not speak. When hakubi was ready, they both moved to Karasumori.

'Where is that idiot?' was her first thought. Yoshimori was not there.

'Was I too harsh? Was I hard on him?' Tokine asked herself.

"Yoshimori…" she remembered calling him and slapping him on the face. "…don't be so selfish…you always, always play the fool…but this time you were the worst and greatest fool ever. Do you understand how many people were worried and tried to help you?" she remembered her words to him after their arrival from kokuboro.

"I'm sorry" he had told her.

"I won't forgive you." She had told him.

'Oh, how mean I was…' Tokine thought to herself. A tear fell down on her cheek.

"If you do this again, and disappear someday, I, I" she remembered all of it.

'I was too harsh. I know I was but how was he supposed to leave me behind and go to fight kaguro? How dare he get into that terrific place? What if something had happened to him…what will I…' she stopped dead. She couldn't get a conclusion to her words. What would she have done if Yoshimori never came back alive? Who was he, to her?

Again, a flash of the previous day's events came into her head.

"I… sorry! Tokine…I…uh, I'm stupid, so I had to go…if I hadn't avenged Shishio, I couldn't have gone on. Sorry…I'm sorry…" he had told her. He was right. Gen was their friend, and he was so stupid to leave her alone. A few more tears made their way through her cheeks.

"Ho…ney?" hakubi called out. Tokine at once wiped off those tears and moved on.

Everything was back to normal. There was no kokuboro anymore… but only small small ayakashis that came to seek the spiritual energies of Karasumori, like before.

"Over here!" said Hakubi.

Tokine moved faster. "Hoi"

She shouted. "Joso"

"Ketsu!" an ayakashi in a dark shape was captured inside her kekkai.

"Metsu! Tenketsu!" it was completely destroyed.

"Neat!" said Hakubi "however you seem not in the spirit!"

"I'm fine…and I don't think there'd be any more difficulties in guarding Karasumori anymore. Because it is now like the old times!"

"You're right!" said a voice. Tokine looked around to see Yoshimori's grand father Shigemori Sumimura. "That kekkai was accurate!" he said. "However it lacked strength!"

Tokine bowed. Then asked him "where is Yoshimori?"

Shigemori just closed his eyes and shook his head. "That fool is suffering from a severe body ache. I know he's just acting he could have come today."

Tokine's eyes widened. "What happened to Yoshimori?" she asked him, her voice even louder.

"His body is full of scratches…and then, he used abundant energy to create a zekkai yesterday. I don't know how but he had no problem in producing a zekkai that strong."

Tokine nodded. "He sure is powerful."

Shigemori at once blinked then changed his tone "we, all the Sumimuras are powerful! As you know"

Hakubi was restless. Tokine just kept quiet. Tokiko Yukimura should have been there, a war might have begun.

She moved and sat on a rock, immersed herself in her own thoughts. Yoshimori was hurt. She should have checked out on him. She knew that he was suffering. But her consciousness wasn't allowing her to ask his grand father about him.

"Tokine, you must take care!" Shigemori told her as he walked closer. "I can't come tomorrow, I won't be at home. And I'm afraid that Yoshimori too. So it's your duty tomorrow to guard Karasumori. Ask Tokiko to do it tomorrow!"

Tokine was still sad. Yoshimori was not seen anywhere. He did not come to school.

"I don't know what I should do" said Tokine to her friend.

"He's not well and why not meet him?"

"But…" said Tokine, then suddenly something struck her. She wouldn't have to be embarrassed. Shigemori Sumimura will not be at home. She could meet Yoshimori.

"Oh…you're a genius!" said Tokine to her friend.

"What?" she asked.

And Tokine ran to her house. Her thoughts were filled with Yoshimori.

Her hair swished as she ran. She desperately hoped to hear Yoshimori's voice. But it was not anywhere. He wasn't following her. He was at home, sick and unwell.

Tokine ran faster. She got into her room and changed. She then started making a cake. She was not an expert at it. But all those times, when Yoshimori had given her his cakes, they tasted too well. 'Maybe he'll like it if I gift him a cake.' She thought to herself.

About an hour later, Tokine took her cake and some flowers and started walking to the Sumimura house.

Just as expected, Shigemori was not there. Yoshimori's father opened the door.

"Yoshimori…" she said as she bowed.

"Oh come in Tokine, it's nice to see you. He's in his room."

Tokine got in and moved to see Yoshimori.

"He even told about you today morning…" said Yoshimori's father to himself.

Tokine looked at him. But he had already gotten into the kitchen.

She opened the door "Yoshimori…"

**Your reviews tell me how you feel…so please don't forget to review…**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thankyou for reviewing and reading. It is always appreciated. Hope you'll like this chapter. Sorry for updating this late!**

**2**

**SOLUTIONS**

She opened the door "Yoshimori…"

Yoshimori was lying on the bed, he had his eyes closed but he was shaking. Tokine was sure that he was having a bad dream. She moved closer.

Then suddenly Yoshimori cried out "Tokine…"

Tokine rushed to his side. "Tokine, no…" he shouted.

"Yoshimori…Yoshimori…" tears began filling in her eyes. She couldn't see. "I am here Yoshimori…"

Yoshimori calmed down as he opened his eyes. "Tokine?" he asked sheepishly.

"Are you all right, Yoshimori?" asked Tokine.

"No…no Tokine, don't cry…I ...i am all right….Tokine" he stammered as he saw tears flowing down her cheeks. She felt guilty at herself for not coming to see him earlier. She felt angry at herself for not caring for him.

"Are you alright?" she asked him. "What did you see?"

Yoshimori rubbed his own eyes. Unknowingly, tears had formed there too.

"Well…It's nothing…" he said and hoped that Tokine wouldn't find out that he was lying.

He couldn't possibly think of telling Tokine what he had seen.

_There was a giant ayakashi…waiting for Tokine to get close enough. It tried to kill her. Yoshimori tried his level best to reach her. But how long he ran, he never reached near her. She seemed, faraway. Too far, beyond his reach. And to see her stand there helplessly in front of that demon while it destroyed her weak kekkai…_

Yoshimori had to blink. This was something unbelievable. Tokine might laugh at him or even tease him. But to him it was far worse. To think of it was even difficult. He couldn't find the courage to tell her…especially when he had 100 % chance of getting laughed at.

"I know when you're lying to me, Yoshimori…"

"Um…it's that, please take care Tokine…the ayakashis are so powerful…and…" Yoshimori lingered.

"What!? You're asking me to take care when you are the one who is need of rest and care?" Tokine raised her voice but abruptly lowered it. She knew she had been hard on him. She knew that she was too harsh. And when Yoshimori looked at her with all the concern in his eyes, she felt herself burn under his gaze. She felt guilty again.

'Why do I keep doing this?' she asked herself. All the time she wanted to talk something important to him, her instincts take action and she completely ends up yelling at him.

"I am sorry…" she said.

"huh?"

"I am so sorry yoshi…"

"Tokine?" his voice was filled with concern and care. Tokine noticed it too. And when she contemplated everything that happened a day ago, she knew that she was in the wrong.

'If you do this again, and disappear someday, I, I…' she remembered her words again.

And that made her realize that a part of her always wanted to realize something. Who was he to her?

"sorry for yelling at you…"

"no. I am the one to say sorry…" Yoshimori whispered.

"what did you see?" she asked him.

"please don't laugh at me…Tokine…"

Tokine gave him an assuring look. "I won't. Trust me."

"you were far from me…too faraway…beyond my reach. I tried hard to reach you but I couldn't. I had to watch a big ayakashi hurting you hard and …and…". His eyes became clouded as realization dawned upon him.

"I'll never let you get hurt…Tokine…I promise you."

Tokine did not speak. Even Yoshimori was surprised that she did not laugh at him saying it was a stupid dream.

He did not realize that Tokine was too deep in thought. Drops of tears making way through her cheeks, she hugged Yoshimori.

She did not know what to say or how to say. But she knew that no one cared for her the way Yoshimori did. He was the one who knew her too well. About her likes, dislikes, strength and everything. He was her…she didn't know whom. But she knew that her life would be impossible without him. And that he would be there whenever she needed him.

When she realized what she was doing, Tokine felt embarrassed. Her cheeks turned a shade of red and she quickly let go of him. Hiding her face in the curtain of her hair, she said as she moved the cake to him.

" I made this for you Yoshimori…I hope you like it!" and then she saw his red cheeks.

She knew that he too was surprised at her sudden action. She did not utter a word but ran out of the room saying "get well soon Yoshi…!"

**What will Yoshimori think now? Wait for the next chapter…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry sorry sorry for taking too long to update. So sorry.**

**Thank you everyone who reads, reviews, follows and favorites.**

**Please review dear friends!**

**3**

**A DIFFERENT FEELING**

Tokine walked to school. Just like the previous day, she felt disappointed. The teachers and other students too noticed her sad mood. She remained thankful and a little irritated at their asking what was wrong with her. The day passed off with students whispering of Tokine being different. But she just kept silent. At times like these, when her mind wandered off to faraway places she preferred silence. It always felt nice to be silent, to walk unaware, to be unknown, to focus on the nature rather than the number of people walking around and to believe in the spiritual energy that surrounded Karasumori which no other human other than from their families would believe in.

Tokine enjoyed the sound of the wind. Her hair moved in its blow which brought her back to the present. To the unfair world and reminded her of the duty rested upon them, Kekkaishis.

* * *

Tokine was back at the grounds of Karasumori. But this time with Hakubi. Nothing was different. The atmosphere was just like always- the power of Karasumori attracting more evil ayakashis. The sky was same but with a difference. Tokine almost gaped when she looked at the sky. Instead of the moon, what she saw was something blue…like glass. But it was harder than glass. On it sat someone, too familiar – she could recognize him even from the ground – and Tokine's mouth hung open. She made her own kekkais and soared up to where he sat.

"Yoshimori…!" Tokine smiled at him a little surprised and a little worried.

He realized her confusion and the cause of her worry. "I'm all right!" he said, which made her puzzled.

She never really understood how he could read her mind at times.

Tokine did not ask much. She just kept silent. Once again she felt that silence was better.

Hakubi and Madarao moved restlessly searching for an evil aura from far and near. As she was just about to come closer to sit by his side, Madarao and Hakubi announced an ayakashi. Both Tokine and Yoshimori sprang to action. Yoshimori ran at a pace she couldn't follow. He was too fast. Was she getting weaker by day? Or was he getting stronger by day? She didn't know. What she knew was something. There was something happening with Yoshimori that she couldn't yet really figure out.

Tokine tried her best, however meager the possibility was for her to capture the ayakashi before him. Because, she was that type of girl who never give up and tries to do the best till the end.

When her target was visible, Tokine looked at it and aimed. With her brilliant accuracy, she must be able to capture it. The ayakashi was rather a small one which made it easy for her to hold it in a single kekkai rather than destroying it with her kekkai spears.

"Hoi Joso!" she screamed. In the fraction of a second she could see Yoshimori looking back at her.

"Ketsu!" Tokine looked at the ayakashi. She had succeeded in capturing it. Yoshimori stood there looking at her. The ayakashi was not just inside a green colored kekkai. It had double layers. One layer of blue colored kekkai surrounding hers.

'Yoshimori' she thought. Not only was he running fast but his speed at making kekkais had also improved. He had only created that kekkai after he heard her voice.

"Metsu!"

"Tenketsu" they both said together. Yoshimori took a quick glance at Tokine and went back to sitting at where he had been sitting.

'What was it? There is some change in him. But what?' Tokine couldn't really understand. She followed suite and as she reached Yoshimori, she started talking.

"Yoshimori…"

He looked at her a smile forming on his lips. She was amazed. After all she didn't know that a smile always formed on his lips whenever he saw her beautiful face. It was like a soothing breeze. Something that gave him a wonderful feeling. A feeling that was inexpressible.

"I am all right!" he said.

"that's not it…" Tokine said. Yoshimori looked concerned. "why are you smiling?" she asked in lack of questions.

He blinked. Then opened his bag to take out something. Her eyes widened as she saw it.

"I made this for you!" he said and gave her a chocolate cake. Tokine almost felt she would loose her balance and fall to the ground.

What was this boy thinking? Is he mad? Wasn't he supposed to be resting? Wasn't that why she had visited him? To tell him that he will get well soon and that she will manage everything at Karasumori?

And here he was, baking cakes? Tokine's thought train was interrupted by him.

"Thanks for your cake and the flowers…"

"Huh!" was all she could say.

"You made it right? It tasted so good and here's my thank you present!" Yoshimori pointed to the cake in his hand. "Tell me if you like it."

"yo…yo…Yoshi…Yoshimori…" Tokine couldn't decide whether she should be angry at him that he was not resting, happy that he is fine or sad that he was again caring for her when he was not well.

She wanted him to know that she would be all right, no matter what and that he should take care of himself. "There's no need of a thank you present!" she said, not looking at his face.

She knew how well he baked cakes, she also wanted to support him in living out his dream. But he was meant to be a Kekkaishi and that he must be.

"Just taste this…" and he gave her a piece of the cake. It was delicious. The chocolate melted in her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored the moment and the cake. Yoshimori caught a glimpse of her face. He smiled an inner smile as he saw her enjoy it. Yoshimori looked away to hide the smile from her.

"how is it?" he asked her.

Tokine at once opened her eyes and said abruptly "it's not so different…"

Yoshimori smiled and came close to her...

**Waiting to know what happens next? I'll try my best to update soon. Please review. The reviews let me know how you feel after reading it. So please don't forget to review!**


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